


Uligo

by ashenburst



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Angst and Humor, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Heavy Angst, Humor, Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-18
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2020-07-08 01:54:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19861609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashenburst/pseuds/ashenburst
Summary: He made you wet. That sick water style user.





	1. Meeting him...

You were just a little girl at the time. An innocent, young girl. You had no idea of the wide world before you, for you were limited by your gender. You did as the elders instructed, you obeyed your parents' wishes without hesitation. You were a girl, who did her best to secure their family's and clan's survival. A girl who watched as boys her age and adult men fight in constant war. A girl. That was what defined you. And as an obedient girl, you did what was supposed to be done, never faltering during work. You helped with all the chores, which ranged from the most minor activities such as washing the dishes or cooking to cleaning your father's bloodied clothes after he'd return from another combat. That was what your everyday life looked like for years. Until one day, it took a wild turn and you vowed to break away from this monotone prison.

It was spring, the season of rebirth. Nature was blooming. You enjoyed waking up to the chirping of birds, then stepping to the window and looking out to spot all the flowers whose scent mesmerized you. It felt almost as if life suddenly emerged out of nowhere. You found it fascinating, even now, after 14 years of witnessing this switch between seasons.

The grey mood of winter disappeared, and no matter how much you liked the snow, a change in weather did refresh your mind a bit. It did rain quite often, but as days passed, so did the Sun begin to appear more often. The change can't happen in one day, surely. Neither can the buds blossom in a matter of days. It took time. And with time the buds will also turn in all kinds of products.

This signified only one thing; soon, there would be fruits and berries all over the forest. Bunch of animals would erupt out of their shelters to enjoy this food boom. And one of your favorite activities was soon to begin as well; finding and picking berries with your hyperactive little sister, Ayane.

She changed so quickly, and every spring you'd go doing this activity with her, it felt as if you went with a different person. She grew up so fast, evolved and gathered experience like a sponge. You could easily remember her baby face and chubby cheeks from half a decade ago. Now she was eight years old and thriving to become a fine woman, or at least you were hoping so. She was way more lively than you when you were her age, that was for sure. That irritated you at times. But of course, she was your sister, and you loved her no matter what.

Just a couple of months ago, your mother gave birth to a baby boy, Eisuke. That meant your family now scored a total of five living members. You had an older brother who was killed while you were still very young, which made you the eldest sibling. The eldest brother was very respected in your clan and was one of the finest warriors at his time. You heard many stories of him and his dangerous missions. However, he got too carried away in one battle and while trying to protect the rest of his comrades, he sacrificed himself, ultimately facing dozens of Uchiha by himself and dying. His death still loomed over you like a shadow of some sorts, making you feel as if you had to take on his responsibilities and tend to the rest of the family. He was a great inspiration to you, even though he hadn't lived too long. He left a trace in your house.

But here you were, a little girl, ready to help your family with all your might. Your parents often praised your hard work and complimented your traits, stating that whoever was to wed you would be a lucky man. Wedding was out of your mind, of course. Years will pass until you had to think seriously about it. For now, you had your family, a small, but happy one. It made you more content than anything on this world. And right now you were facing a hyper Ayane skipping all around.

"Berries! Berries! We're picking berries!" She squealed audibly and ran toward you after seeing you step out of the house. You spread your arms to let her run into a hug, and she did, almost leaving you out of breath. "Big sis! Are we gonna find a baby deer again?" Ayane squeaked in delight, looking up at you. Her eyes sparkled with such excitement it made you elated. You smiled and rolled your eyes.

"Who knows? And it's called a fawn."

"A fawn? What's that?" Ayane seemed confused, so you repeated yourself.

"A baby deer is called a fawn," you told her, then added an example just in case. "You know, just like we say a baby cat is called a kitten."

"Yup! Baby deer is a fowl!" Your little sister smiled brightly after mispronouncing the word.

"A fawn!" You sighed after correcting her. Well, who could blame her. She was too excited to remember. You went to grab two baskets which were laying ready on the staircase. But as you were picking them up, you heard your mother shout from the window. "Girls, please, don't go too far! It's very dangerous these days." She looked at her children with adoration and worry combined. She was holding a dirty rug in her hand; she must've been working hard, as usual. "Don't worry, mom! We're going to be fine! Just like every time!" You shouted back and gave one basket to Ayane who nodded eagerly. "Alright, alright, just take care! Love you!" You heard your mom say, so you waved her goodbye and headed to the forest, holding Ayane's hand so that she couldn't run away already.

Your mom had no reason to worry, really. No major fight has ever happened on the territory of your clan, especially here, where you lived. But you guessed it was natural for her to have fear, since your father, the clan leader, had informed everyone that the Senju and Uchiha had begun clashing near you. But seriously, what are the chances they'd actually appear here and now, out of all places and times to fight? You can't be that unlucky. And would they pay attention to two little girls such as (Y/N) and Ayane? Certainly not.

The weather was wonderful. It was sunny, yet not too hot, just perfect. Ayane was giggling and jumping all the way; you could barely hold her hand anymore. You had no idea where did she get all this energy from. She was pointing at everything that seemed out of the ordinary, at every fungi, every plant with unusual leaves, every single bug she could see. You tried your best to satisfy her curiosity and hoped she'd remember at least something you were telling her. It did tire you, but also made you feel happy to be able to teach her something.

About half an hour later, you two reached a spot near the river where you'd always find plenty of bushes full of berries at this period of year. You let go of Ayane's hand and she ran away, all excited, to pick berries. It was only then that you realized your palm was covered in sweat from holding her hand. You chuckled and followed your sister, who already began filling up her basket. Her fingers were already reddish from the fruit juice. "Be careful not to tire yourself too early," you laughed and warned her, seeing that she was in a hurry. "You hurry up, sis! We'll finish quickly and then have time to take a bath in the river! Please!" She exclaimed. So that was on her mind!

"Of course! You're a genius!" You ruffled her hair and followed her idea. You had just put the basket down and began pulling up your sleeves, when you heard something strange in the distance. Fear hit you for a moment, because you remembered your mother's words of warning. You turned your head at the source of the sound, but nothing caught your attention. You asked Ayane if she heard anything strange, but she waved her head no, so you thought it must've been your imagination.

But when another loud thump was heard followed with metal clinging, this time way closer, your eyes darted at the source of it. Now you weren't wrong. You saw a couple of shinobi approach quickly, running away from a bigger group who had been chasing them. You had no idea what to do, so you hugged Ayane, who was too watching the scene in shock, and ran behind a tree, hoping to stay unnoticed. What else could you do? Your thoughts ran wild as your heart drummed, but you realised you couldn't run away, you couldn't fight back, so hiding was the best option. You covered Ayane's mouth with your hand and shushed her. Soon you felt your hand was getting wet; you looked down to see tears flowing down Ayane's cheeks, onto your fingers and palm. She was terrified. You feared more for her than yourself.

The noise grew and in a matter of moments the ninja were here, passing by the tree you were hiding behind. Even though they moved fast, you noticed the clan crests on their robes. The Senju. Then the Uchiha. And you noticed there was more Uchiha than Senju. No--this is terrible. The Uchiha were your clan's enemies, as you were allied with the Senju. If they knew who you were, they'd kill or kidnap you and your sister without hesitation. However, nobody saw you so far. The conflict seemed to move further away, and you could feel your pulse gradually slow down. You were about to let go of your little sister when something happened in the battle; they were coming back. You quickly ran to the other side of the tree, holding Ayane so tight you felt as if you'd crush her.

You heard groans and curses, you heard metal hitting metal, and to your disgust, you recognized the sound of metal entering and cutting flesh. It was terrible yet you hadn't seen a bit of it. And you didn't want to see it. You wanted to leave, to run away and never return.

Funnily enough, the birds still chirped somewhere in the distance.

And all of a sudden, the fighting was halted. The sounds died out. This means a victor had emerged. At last. So they'll finally leave...

"Father, look, somebody left baskets over here," you heard a teen's voice say.

"Really?" An older voice answered, presumably the father of the boy. "Oh. Wouldn't you look at that," a pause came. "There are even some berries inside. I wonder who do these belong to."

"Why don't we eat them? I'm starving!" A third voice, also belonging to a teenager, said. Then a hit was heard, and the first voice said angrily: "Hashirama, you're so rude! Maybe the people who were working here left this and ran away when they heard a battle was approaching."

"S-sorry. I'm just hungry. That's all."

"You think I'm not hungry too?"

You almost let out a laugh. You loosened the grip on your little sister; these people didn't seem so bad. But still, who knew which clan they belonged to. Most probably Uchiha, since there were more of them. You dared to sneak a peek at them. You saw an adult and two boys, but couldn't determine which clan they hailed from, so as quickly as you glanced at them, you returned to your hiding spot. They didn't seem to notice you, as they were arguing.

But as you were moving, so was Ayane, of course. And she stepped on a twig. As if that weren't enough, she muffled something against your hand. You began panicking as you held your sister in a bone-crushing hug. She realised what she had done and began crying once again. You prayed that these ninja didn't hear you.

"Oi! Did you hear that?"

"Yes! Over there!"

Your didn't feel your feet after hearing that. You were done for. Your sister too. All that you could hear was their steps, approaching for what seemed like ages. You began saying goodbye to your parents, to your siblings, to all of your friends, and as a final move, you ducked and kissed your sister's forehead, telling her that you loved her the most. Then your gaze shot upwards, toward a patch of sky and light between the leaves... It seemed so peaceful.

A man stepped in front of you, followed by two boys. The man and one boy bore a striking resemblance in their dark brown hair and skin color, whereas the other boy had snow white hair. They were holding their weapons ready, but as soon as they saw you, they lowered them, a wave of what seemed like relief hitting them. "Ladies, there's no need to be afraid. We won't hurt you," the man said with sincere sympathy. You felt yourself come back to life, but you were still paralyzed from fear. However, your sister began crying out loud, sobbing and weeping without control. You tried to comfort her, but failed, as your voice was shaky and cracking whenever you tried to tell her something.

"Hashirama! Do something!" The white haired boy shouted at the other one. Hashirama, as it appeared, shrieked and approached you. He hesitated one bit but hugged you tightly, surprising both you and your sister. "It's alright, there's no need to cry..." he muttered awkwardly and pat your sister's head. "My name's Hashirama! And you are?" He asked your sister gingerly. "A-Ayane... (C/N)...."

Only a second later you realized that your sister told them your clan name. So this is the moment of truth. You felt as if you'd faint before hearing their answer.

"(C/N)! We're Senju! That's great!" Hashirama brightened, making you sigh in relief. He turned over to you and asked what's your name. "(Y/N)," you replied shortly, trying not to say too much because you knew your voice would break, embarrassing yourself.

His father, who was standing by all the time, joined the conversation upon hearing your name. "(Y/N)? You're the daughter of your clan leader, aren't you?" He asked. You nodded. "H-how do you know?"

"I met you when you were still a baby while paying a visit to your father. You're born the same year Tobirama over here is. A fine man, your father is, I must admit," the man told you. "And I am the Senju clan leader, Senju Butsuma."

You were surprised, to say the least. "I-it's an honor. Truly." You bowed. You'd bow down more, but you were afraid you'd lose balance.

"No need for formalities. We've met already, after all," he said in a tired tone and waved his hand. "We'll escort you home. I was supposed to meet your father in a couple of days, but we came a bit earlier than planned."

"Thank you so much!" You said and nudged your sister to express gratitude too, but Butsuma sternly repeated that there is no need for formalities. He then urged that you leave now, just in case there were more Uchiha headed this way. "The situation is complicated and I have to speak with your father," he added. But before departing, he checked if you and Ayane were fine. After being assured that he needn't worry, he politely asked you to lead the way home. You of course heeded his wish and went into the direction of your house.

You found it adorable that your sister was being comforted by Hashirama. He was holding her hand and talking about various topics, managing to perfectly distract her from the stress she'd just been through. He was a bubbly, positive person as it appeared, and matched with your sister's personality. You were walking alone, watching them with a small smile plastered on your face. Everything was fine.

"Hey? (Y/N), was it?" A voice startled you, so you turned to its owner. It was the white-haired boy, who didn't speak much. "Yes?" You tilted your head in confusion, making him a bit confused as well. "Those baskets... are they yours?" He asked after a brief moment of hesitation, pointing at them. You nodded and thanked him for reminding you of them, and you were about to go and pick them up, when he stopped you with his arm. You stared at him. Why would he do that? "Don't move a step, I'll carry them for you." He went after the baskets, and you quickly thanked him once again. He came back and went past you, while you were standing still in the same spot, staring at him as he walked away. Seeing you didn't move and since he didn't know the way, he turned around and asked what were you doing. Then you realised everyone were staring at you and expecting you to lead the way. "Nothing. I-I'm coming." You hurried and went ahead of everyone. The same boy quickly caught up with you and was walking by your side. He didn't say anything, so you tried to strike up a conversation after realizing you had forgotten his name.

"What's your name? I forgot..."

"Tobirama."

"Well, Tobirama, thank you once again for carrying those." You gave him a friendly smile and he returned one.

"They're almost empty, so it's no big deal."

"Alright, if you say so." You had no idea what to ask him next, but you wanted to talk to him. You heard Hashirama laugh like crazy with your sister and then it popped in your mind. "Are you and Hashirama related?"

"Yes, he's my older brother. And yes, I'm aware that we're nothing alike. And I'm glad we're nothing alike." You let out an airy laugh from his response.

"Why, you don't like him?"

"He's my brother, of course I like him!" he responded quickly. "It's just that he's too soft at times."

"And why's that bad?"

Tobirama glared at you as if you asked a stupid question. Why? It made you feel bad. As if you asked the wrong thing. "Why's that bad?" he repeated your question, imitating your voice in a high pitched tone.

"Seriously, Tobirama, why?" You asked after a pause. You were very confused and felt dumb for not realising what the answer was, after all, your question made sense. What's bad with having more emotion? That's obviously better than not having emotion. To make things even worse, Tobirama didn't answer, he just kept staring at you with his piercing red eyes, without even blinking. You couldn't look at him, it made you feel uncomfortable. You pouted. He can't make fun of you like that! You'd punch him if his father weren't there.

He finally decided to speak up, but he turned away from you. "You can't be... soft on the battlefield. You'd be killed. Simple as that... well, I didn't even expect you to understand. I mean, you're a girl. You have no idea about what's going on out there." Tobirama then looked back at you, expressionless, while you were glaring daggers at him. But he didn't stop. "And after seeing your reaction today, this is obviously the first time you witnessed a combat, right?"

"Wow, smartass. My little female brain barely managed to process that. Would you please repeat?" You hissed, already boiling.

"W-what?" Tobirama seemed scared. He didn't expect that reaction. "I'm sorry if I angered you, it just... it's the truth? I mean... you know... that's how things are, right?" He seemed as if he didn't know what to say. Well, he deserved to feel uncomfortable. It was his turn now. He stripped you off of your pride for caring for the entire family and made you feel completely helpless if a battle would emerge.

"Yes, that is how things are." You tried to say as calmly as possible. He did seem sorry, after all. And he was carrying the baskets. That was gentlemanly, right?

"I'm sorry if I made you feel bad. I really am sorry." He told you. Okay, so he was the one feeling bad now. Okay. Good.

"It's alright, but don't do it again. It's for your own good. You'll never find a girlfriend if you act like an idiot right after meeting a girl." You remarked and he seemed to be struck by your words, far more than you intended.

"It's not my intention to--but--argh! Let's change the topic of conversation, please?" He sounded rather awkward, making you giggle. "Alright, let's do that, you little snowflake."

"Snowflake?!" He blushed after hearing your nickname for him. Yes! You officially had the upper hand in this conversation now.

"That's what you are. A special little shy snowflake."

His eyebrow arched upwards. He looked at you intently. "But why? And stop calling me snowflake."

"Why?"

"Because it's stupid. I hate it." He uttered.

"Alright, I guess you'll melt from the heat in your cheeks if I don't stop."

Tobirama seemed as if he wanted to scream. He switched his gaze to the ground.

"What's wrong? We did change the topic of conversation. Just as you asked," You teased him. That's what he got for making you feel stupid.

"Nothing. Everything is perfectly fine," he answered with an annoyed huff. Boy, was he adorable when angered.

You two spent a minute in silence. You used that time to listen to Ayane's and Hashirama's conversation a bit. They were talking about... cookies? And how to bake them? Hashirama? Ayane? What the hell?

"What's your clan's Kekkei Genkai?" Tobirama suddenly questioned.

"We... why do you ask?"

"I'm just interested." He shrugged.

"We don't exactly have one. Just hold a natural affinity to Lighting Style jutsus. Nothing too special. Senju don't have any Kekkei Genkai, right?"

"Yeah. But my brother over there has Wood Release." He nodded at Hashirama who was giggling at the moment. You turned around and stared at him, shocked that he possessed such an unique ability. Hashirama caught you staring and made a 'what-did-I-do' face. You just smiled and waved your head before looking back at Tobirama, a question already ready for him.

"And are you too a special snowflake like your big brother?"

Tobirama waved his head no. He didn't react to the nickname this time, leaving you disappointed. "I'm good at Water Style jutsus, that's all, I guess."

"So you can make a fountain out of thin air?"

Tobirama gave you that stupid stare he gave you earlier. You laughed. "Just kidding! Come on! It was a joke!" You tried to get the situation straight. Tobirama just rolled his eyes. It seemed as if he was doing his best not to show any emotion. Well, you'll find a way to break him soon enough.

You had to put your awkward conversation to a halt, since you'd arrived to your house. You knew that your father was home, so if any trouble were to happen, he... he'd do his best to protect you. But these people were nice, you were sure of it.

You lead the guests inside and told them to wait until you called your father downstairs. Ayane took the baskets from Tobirama and left them in the kitchen. The you ran with your little sister to find your dad. He was in his working office, looking at some papers, as usual. "Father, we have unexpected guests! Senju Butsuma and his two sons! Listen...!" Then you proceeded to tell him what happened earlier that day. Your father seemed surprised at first, but when you finished the story, he hugged you two, telling you that he's glad that his two daughters are all right. He kissed your foreheads and went down, just as you asked him to do.

You were surprised to see that your father and Butsuma greeted each other like old friends. Butsuma appeared like a frigid person... but he became all warm and happy after seeing your father. They began talking about many things, things you thought you shouldn't be listening to. Your mom quickly served them something to eat and drink, much to Hashirama's pleasure. "He told me he's hungry seven times, sis! Seven times!" Ayane was shaken to the core while telling you that.

However, you didn't eat a lot, and you excused yourself and went outside, to the garden. There you sat down on the grass. You wanted some time for yourself, and began rethinking your life so far. You never witnessed war, just like Tobirama noted. Now it was near you, closer than ever. You did know of the battles father had told you about, you washed his clothes whenever he'd come back from one. That was the only way you perceived war as. A bunch of exciting stories and robes you'd have to clean afterwards.

The thought of you being powerless about it scared you. You thought your life was perfect, that your family was happy and lived in a paradise you were partly responsible for. Because you always were the one to help whenever somebody needed a hand. You felt as if you were the second mother of the family and you were proud of it. Now this role seemed unsignificant compared to the role your father held.

"(Y/N)?" You heard your mom call your name. You turned around. "Are you okay?" You thought you should tell her what you had in mind... maybe she'll support the idea.

"Mom, is it possible that I become a ninja?"

She gasped, completely shocked. "Why would you do that?!" She held a wall next to her to stop her from falling.

"I'll be able to protect you better and finally be useful, so, why not?" You didn't understand why was she so terrified of the idea.

"(Y/N)! My daughter! Women aren't supposed to be ninja. You're clever enough to understand why. We need you here, at home..."

"But I feel weak! What if some bad ninja strays in our house and dad wasn't home?! We'd be dead for sure!"

"You don't have to prove yourself to anyone, dear. And ninjas don't stray like that... things like that don't happen. I understand you're scared by what happened today. But if the situation was really bad, we'd have plenty of our clansmen protecting us. That's what ninjas do, besides. They protect us, their women and children, and risk their lives every day. That's their job. And our job is to be there for them." Your mom seemed agitated for some reason. "These are fine people we have over here, valuable allies of our clan. Don't talk about such weird things in front of them. Alright, dear? I have to go now," with that, she left, leaving your opinion unchanged. She'll have to do better than that to convince you otherwise.

You had the entire day for yourself, so you thought you might as well begin some basic training. You stood up and approached a tree. You imagined it to be an evil ninja who was scowling at you. You took a fighting stance (or what you imagined it to be) and pondered how to perform a flying kick correctly. It seemed so simple in your head. But now, what should you do exactly? Swing your leg? That's it?

You swung your leg with all your might, since you felt as if going too slow would make you lose your balance. Well, you overdid yourself, since you hit the tree with such strength and speed that you almost broke your leg.

You fell to the ground immediately from the pain. You winced and held your leg which ached a lot. You almost shed a tear. Cursing the tree, you looked up to see that... you made a hole in the tree? It seemed as if all the pain disappeared and was replaced with shock and disbelief. Then you grinned madly. This was unbelievable.

"What the heck was that?!" You heard Tobirama's shocked voice from behind. What was he doing here? Still sitting on the ground, you turned around and hissed at him angrily. "And why the heck are you spying on me?"

"I'm not! I was told that this is where the garden is so I stepped outside to enjoy the peace and quiet," he said, "but I can't. Since you're here kicking trees like an idiot."

"Hey!" You blushed from embarrassment. "It's not bad for the first try."

"Bad?" Tobirama repeated while approaching you and the tree. He stopped and pointed at the hole in the tree dramatically. "How's this bad?!"

You didn't know what to say. You were shocked as well.

"This is amazing! Incredible! Have you been training before?" He finally spoke.

"No. Not at all." Your honest response made Tobirama's mouth go wide open.

"That's terrific. I'm... I don't know what to say." He stared at your sitting form. As if he noticed that you were in pain just at that moment. God, he was so ignorant at times. "Are you okay?" He asked you.

"Well, I almost broke my leg. So it hurts. A lot," you told him. He seemed to be worried. He should be.

"Maybe you did break your leg... Can you stand up? Let me help," He asked and squatted next to you, offering a hand to lift you up. You took it gladly and tried to get up. It did hurt, but you were able to stand with his support. You winced when you tried to put more pressure on your injured leg. You could feel Tobirama shudder when you winced.

"Are you able to walk?" He asked. You looked at him; he was staring at you, but this time you felt safer under his careful gaze. His vibrant red eyes held the same kind of sternness his father did. You couldn't look at him for too long , for it made you feel strange, so you averted your eyes to your feet and shrugged. You wouldn't dare to try to walk, you were afraid of the outcome. If you couldn't take a single step from the pain, that meant your leg was broken, so that meant you were practically useless in the housework. And you expected to be punished for being a tree-kicking dumbass. Great. You heard Tobirama sigh.

"Come on. I'll try to hold you safe while you walk," he told you and you could feel his grip tighten. You listened and took one step. It hurt, but it wasn't as bad as you expected. You were relieved. So you took another step, and another one. Sure, it did ache, but you could walk and that's all that mattered. You grinned at Tobirama like a little kid: "I'm alright!"

"Of course you are. I knew it." Tobirama sounded like it was no big deal. Seeing that you're fine, he let go of you. "Now do tell me, why would you go around kicking trees? Is that your own special way of relieving stress?" He crossed his arms, expecting your answer.

"N-no! I know it's kinda stupid, but..." you pondered what to say next without sounding too weird. "I was wondering... what would it be like if I were a ninja? So I tried to perform a flying kick--"

"First of all, ninjas don't do that."

"What do you mean? Isn't it, like, essential that you know these things? Kicking and punching and stuff?" You waved your hands, making some imaginary moves. Tobirama was still staring at you, his face emotionless.

"Yes, you're right. But there's much more to it."

"Well, I gotta start somehow!" You said and pouted at his attitude.

"So you want to become a ninja?" He questioned suddenly.

"Yes. Really." You answered in a serious tone.

Tobirama began laughing and punched you in the shoulder jokingly, making you blush and grit your teeth. What was he thinking again?

"(Y/N), (Y/N)... you're very ambitious, you know that? Training starts as soon as you learn to walk. You're too old now. Besides... you don't want to be a ninja. Trust me." He ended grimly, trying to make you stray from the idea just like your mother. But you didn't care. You had to embrace the world as it is. You'll do what it takes to be able to protect yourself and your family, even if it meant stepping into the unknown shinobi world of bloodshed. And you told Tobirama about your endless determination. It seemed to fascinate him as he changed his attitude completely.

"You're so stubborn. You remind me of my older brother a lot," he gave you a heartfelt smile. You tried to memorise it, since he smiled rarely... he looked so precious when he did, though. "Alright then," he said to nobody in particular. Suddenly, he took hold of your hand, a petite smirk adorning his face. You looked at him, confused. What he said next surprised you. "(Y/N), would you like to have a tour through the shinobi world with me as your guide?" You grabbed his hand, grinning happily. You couldn't possibly refuse.

. . .

It was evening when your parents called you two inside, saying that the Senju should be leaving soon. You were very sad, to say the least. The two of you had an amazing time together. You were shocked to realize that all of the distance, all of the awkwardness between you two had disappeared not long after you began talking and you enjoyed every single bit of the long conversations you were having. He didn't talk to you about his missions and experiences, like your father used to. Instead, he spoke of the various techniques, how chakra works, weaponry, and interesting Kekkei Genkai of some clans. He told you of the relationships between the clans, the landowners, and how politics affected their lives. He showed you some flashy moves that you tried to copy clumsily, which made him laugh on many occasions. You couldn't do much since you tried not to injure your leg any further. Still, he valued your desire to improve. At one point, he even created something that looked like a fountain. He took the opportunity to splash you with his water jutsu, but not leaving you soaking wet, which you appreciated. Tobirama was too much a gentleman to do that, after all.

When the time for them to depart had finally come, you couldn't help but smile. You were desperate that they had to leave, but you were still happy. You had the most interesting day of your life. Tobirama was smiling as well. You had already grown used to his company and felt as if you were friends for ages.

Butsuma and your dad weren't too eager to say goodbye to each other, so they were leading useless conversations just to prolong their time spent together. You had noticed Ayane was by your dad's side, and saw Hashirama approaching you and Tobirama. His eyebrows wiggled. "Tobirama and (Y/N), what were you doing all day long?" He teased, making you feel very embarrassed. Your mind suddenly began thinking differently of Tobirama. However, Tobirama kept his cool, unlike you, and quickly answered Hashirama.

"I was hiding from you and (Y/N)'s sister you like playing with."

Hashirama seemed to be ashamed, but went back to normal. "Eheheh, okay, but what were you doing with (Y/N)?"

Tobirama took a moment to think about what to answer next. You noticed that he was hesitating and it made you feel even worse. In the meantime, Hashirama's smirk grew wider and wider. Oh, how you wanted to punch that slick face of his.

"We were just on a tour--" you began, but at the same Tobirama did too: "--(Y/N) was kicking trees so--"

"--I only did it once!" You shrieked, cutting him off. Tobirama's eyes widened and he was left speechless once again. Hashirama got very confused. "Was that an inside joke of yours?" He asked you two, to which you both waved your heads no. Hashirama sighed in relief and acted as if he were wiping sweat from his forehead. "Woah, you scared me for a moment, I mean, you developed inside jokes really fast for people who just met each other-"

"Shut up, big brother. Now you're just talking nonsense," Tobirama huffed angrily, making Hashirama back off in fear. "Okay, I'll stop," he said after taking a couple of steps back. "But hey! (Y/N)! Tobirama is a really good person! Just you wait, he isn't grumpy all the time!" You blushed and noticed that Tobirama's otherwise pale cheeks gained color as well. He growled at his brother and began chasing him, leaving you to admire the scene of two young Senjus running around like children. It's not everyday you get to see that.

You heard Butsuma and your father comment on the situation and laugh. Then they began hugging and patting each other's backs... so they'll leave any moment now. Butsuma called out for his sons to come back and told them to say goodbye to your family. Hashirama waved to you, telling you that he hopes to see you soon, while Tobirama approached and stopped when he was a meter away. He seemed as if he wanted to say something but he hesitated too much and in the end he looked down, his mouth open, but no sound coming out. Seeing that he didn't know what to say, you decided to jump in, so you pat his head, gently ruffling his white hair. "I hope we'll see each other soon, snowflake," you told him, trying to sound hopeful. "You were a wonderful guide." You gave him a compliment in order to make him feel better. He looked at you, then closed his eyes in a content smile. "I know we'll see each other soon. Thank you," he said somewhat stiffly. You knew he was holding something back, but understood that whatever it was, it could wait. You'll take your time, as will he. Someday you'll meet each other again, and maybe, he'll say what was left unsaid today.

He stood still for another moment, but quickly dashed back to his father. Together, the three Senju departed finally. You stood there, your family by your side, watching them go and become smaller and smaller as they got further away. Grinning, you realized that you'll have to rethink and replay this day over and over again during the next few weeks. Because you felt your heart thump rapidly in the memory of all that had happened, forcing a smile on your face as fresh memories already flooded you. Rarely would you get this feeling. You didn't realize it then, but it was something magical that occurred that day. It was love, love that would develop during the time you would think about him. Love that grew gradually with time while you two weren't together. Love that you didn't know you had for him, for it matured and became a part of you.

But someday, you'll learn that love doesn't come freely and spontaneously. What it needs is a little push to get things working. And luckily for you, Tobirama would be the one to push you into the relationship. It was because of him that things got moving... and it was because of him that you grew to become who you are now. A kunoichi.


	2. it was good.

You were panting, completely out of breath. You'd never imagine it'd be so difficult. You were close to giving up... sweat was flowing down your forehead, a testament to your hard work. You can't do this alone, you realized, so you yelled for your sister to come and help you.

Ayane rushed to aid you as soon as she heard you calling out her name. She was busy as well, but you needed her now. The situation was dire.

"What is it?" She jumped by your side, watching your troubled expression with curiosity.

"Can you please help me put on this dress...?" You sweatdropped from the stupid request. Ayane rolled her eyes, but giggled and did as you further instructed her. You're grown up now... and you had to wear these fancy dresses whenever a major event would take place.

A few years had passed after you had first met Tobirama, and many things have happened ever since then. Butsuma was killed in a battle against the Uchihas, a loss that bewildered your father. Tobirama had written you letters about the difficult times his clan was facing... and he wrote you about the new philosophy his older brother was trying to implement, to try and bring peace to the war-torn clans. The two of you rarely exchanged letters, but when you did, you took care that no important information would leak out about your own or his clan. You also managed to meet up with him a couple of times, but those moments were brief, for he was often busy. Brief, but you had to admit, sweet. You laughed a lot at his tsundere temper, while he pouted and scowled at you, occasionally joining you in laughter. You lived for those days and every time you'd see him, you hoped, one of you would confess their feelings to the other one. But that moment never came, since you both enjoyed those times spent together and didn't want your friendship to go away. And honestly, you didn't mind him staying your best friend. He was golden.

However, the last time you saw him was more than a year ago. He's had far more responsibilities and warned you that he won't be able to drop by anymore. Ever since then you spent far more time daydreaming about the two of you. You felt as if your love for him grew the most during that period.

And... yes, Hashirama was now the clan leader of Senju. The strongest ninja among his clansmen. And as you've heard, Tobirama was the second best. It was a high position in a clan as powerful as the Senju and you envied their strength many times.

But you changed as well. During the night, you'd sneak out and train alone in the forest, guided by Tobirama's written lessons and your father's skeptical answers to your weird questions. You didn't do anything extremely impressive, you were in no position to. You could only increase your physical strength and endurance through various exercises. The raw power you possessed amazed you at times; it seemed as if just a moment before you'd land a hit, your hand or foot would accelerate to add more damage. Sometimes you'd try out some ninjutsu as well, but that exhausted you particularly. The chakra reserves you possessed simply weren't up to the task. However, you learned how to perform some Lightning Style jutsus after months of failing. You were very proud of yourself and even more proud of the fact that you managed to hide it all from your family. At first you were very suspicious and scared that they'd find out, but as time passed, sneaking out and hiding became a routine.

Combined with the healthy, busy lifestyle you were leading and a happy family you had, it came as no surprise that you grew to become a sweet, loving, pretty young woman. Your parents' compliments on how well you grew up still never failed to embarrass you.

A fair maiden like you now just needed a husband. Your parents actively searched for a suitable bachelor. However, you had only one man in mind, a white prince. You subconsciously compared every candidate to him.

Ayane told you that she was done with the dress and thumped away before you could even say thanks. You looked at yourself in the mirror and wondered how much you could move around the forest without ripping the dress. Running was out of question, certainly. Wearing such regal clothes wasn't practical at all, even though it made you sheen, to the point you'd barely recognize yourself.

Your father, a well-aged man now, had decided to invite the Senju to a celebration upon electing Hashirama as the clan leader. Your clan stayed a loyal ally to the Senju all this time and your father wanted to repay this fruitful relationship with a small gathering. He planned to give Senju some of the weaponry produced by your clan for free, since your clan excelled at forging weapons and tools. Your clan was stationed near some hills where plenty of valuable ores could be found. That's what made you rich over the years and what allowed you to live a more peaceful life than most clans did.

You knew that people from your clan weren't great warriors. The Senju were gods compared to your clansmen. All you could do was to rely on trading and supplying various factions with weapons to kill each other. You thought it would be better if your clan focused on training more ninjas and you began seeing this flaw only recently.

But, eh, who were you to meddle with your clan's affairs?

You saw Eisuke run past you with only his underwear on. That broke you out of your thoughts and confused you. You then heard your mother shout at you with a tired voice from downstairs: "(Y/N)! Get him down right now!" You sighed and lifted your dress so that you couldn't step on it and trip and fall. You ran after Eisuke, who sped up after seeing you were after him. He began giggling; he was such a little devil. You managed to grab him after just a couple of meters, and you lifted him up, careful that he isn't facing you. He vomited on you once before and you'd rather avoid having puke on your expensive dress.

You came downstairs and gave Eisuke to your mother who was still panting. She thanked you, scolded her baby son and went to dress him up, not before telling you that the Senju are to arrive any moment now and that you better be ready. Your heart skipped a beat as you went to the window, trying to spot if anyone was coming down the road. To your disappointment, nobody was there, so you went to the dining hall to once again check if everything was tidy. You wanted to get relieved of impatience that was building up inside of you.

Ayane was in charge of preparing it for the guests and she was notorious for messing up. However, once you stepped inside and didn't spot a single error, you were relieved. You had no idea what to do next to make the time fly faster, so you went to your mother and asked her if she needed any help. However, you saw that Eisuke was all dressed up and your mom was chilling. She said that everything's fine. You nodded, left the room, then began anxiously walking through the hallway. You stopped to take a glance through the window every now and then, but to no avail. Nobody was seen...

Then, all of a sudden, you noticed them. A bunch of Senjus, an entire delegacy. You almost screamed from happines, but all that was heard was a quiet squeak and you rushed to inform everyone that they're near. Your family got ready soon. Anxiety washed all over you as you stepped out to greet them with the rest of your family.

And here they were, the mighty Senju clansmen. They all seemed elated and were chatting and laughing. You immediately noticed Hashirama and Tobirama at the very front of the group. The two of them stood out of the crowd. You felt as if you were facing an army of shinobi, not a bunch of people who came to celebrate. You could sense your throat go dry and were grateful that your father would be the one to do the talking part. Otherwise you'd probably faint... you weren't far from fainting even now.

But as soon as the group approached and Hashirama's always so pleasant face came in your sight, you felt less tense. Ayane whispered, asking you if that's the same Hashirama she'd met about six or seven years ago, and you nodded yes. He did mature a lot and his hair was way longer than before. You had to admit, it suited him.

Then you noticed Tobirama's somewhat stern, grumpy face and it made you smile. He really didn't change one bit, beside barely growing taller. But then you saw that he bore some markings on his face; red lines on his cheeks and chin, matching his eye color. They made him appear so much more frigid than before. He reminded you of his father now more than ever, even though they had absolutely nothing in common in their appearance; they only gave off the same vibe.

And at that moment the usual formal speeches began. Your father expressing gratitude for their arrival, Hashirama accepting this gratitude and stating that it is his pleasure to be invited to a celebration held in his honor. Then your father began telling how he's pleased to see such a talented young man become a clan leader... blah blah. All anxiety you once held disappeared and you got bored, now impatient to get this over with. You did your best not to yawn. Come on, these people came to eat and have fun after all... and you were waiting to finally spend some time alone with Tobirama, since he had promised to test your skills when you see each other in the last letter he'd written.

Your father led everyone inside at last. You wanted to talk to Tobirama, and you patiently awaited for him to come near you, but as it happened, somebody else decided to start a conversation with you. Hashirama.

"(Y/N)! Long time no see! You grew up so much! How are you doing? How's life? Family? Work? Love?" He began, smiling brightly. His voice was much deeper now than before, but he held the same childlike, cheery attitude just like you remembered. You returned the smile, seeing you had no choice but to talk to him for now. "I'm great, thank you for asking, and my family's just perfect! Everything's fine. I'm not married yet, so that's the only thing left to do, I guess. And Hashirama, I'm sorry for your father's death..."

"Thank you for your condolences, but death is just a natural part of this world. He was a great man after all..." he looked into the distance, somewhat lost. You didn't think Butsuma was that much of a great man, but, oh well, you could just nod at his statement. He scared you at times and didn't seem to be compassionate at all. You respected him nevertheless. The man, his father, did get killed, after all, and that was terrible. "Let's not dwell on the past. I'm sure my father wouldn't want to sadden everyone for too long by his departure. Don't you think?"

"Yeah, I hope so," you answered.

Then he suddenly asked about Ayane and how was she doing. You realised that this is the perfect way to get rid of Hashirama--get him to talk with her. He couldn't possibly refuse. You spotted your sister somewhere ahead of you, near the dining hall, and called her, urging her to come to greet Hashirama. Upon seeing each other, they were overjoyed and began leading an usual discussion full of hype. You just stared at them, weirded out to see Hashirama acting like a kid, then moved inside the dining hall to find a seat.

Your vision caught Tobirama's white hair among the guests filling the room. He was about to take a seat; you saw by his movements. You had to hurry--you better sit next to him while the seat by his side was empty. That meant you had to shove your way through the crowd, which you did, with a ton of apologies, still earning a few angry huffs. It made you a bit uncomfortable, since you were a girl and you were acting a bit too forceful. But you wanted to talk to Tobirama more than anything; you felt as if you were obliged to do so, for he helped you a lot all these years. You were fortunate to discover that the seat next to him was still empty, so you almost ran to sit there and plopped onto the seat with great force. As soon as you found your place next to Tobirama, he turned to face you, eyeing you with pure curiosity. You greeted him cheerfully, to which he responded that he barely recognised you. You hoped he said that with a positive meaning...

"How's my undercover ninja doing?" He then asked and you silenced him, telling him that it's a secret and that he should at least lower his tone a bit. He laughed at your cowardly reaction.

You didn't know what to say next. You felt the same kind of distance you did when you first met him. After all, an entirely different person was facing you now, with personality surely twisted from the events he's been through during the past few years. Even his voice seemed to change since you last spoke to him and then it struck you, now more than ever... he was an adult, not some kid from before.

"What's wrong? You come running to sit by my side and suddenly cat's got you tongue?" Tobirama teased, making you feel ashamed already. You really were out of words, although you yearned to talk to him for ages. You tried to figure out an answer to his teasing, so you spat out the first thing that came onto your mind.

"I'm not that desperate for your company, you know."

"So you are desperate?"

"Yeah? Not that we haven't seen each other for over a year..."

"You've got a point there." Tobirama rolled his eyes and laughed. "I'm sure you have a lot to tell me. Anything interesting happened that might interest me?"

"Not really. Oh! Just a couple of days ago, I managed to kick a tree so that my leg went right through it. Like, whoosh! And the tree fell. Boom." You made a slicing move with your hand, imitating the scene.

Your friend's eyes went wide and his mouth open. "You still love kicking trees (Y/N)..." Tobirama looked as if he gagged while he watched you in absolute disbelief. You chuckled at his reaction. He shook his head and continued. "Do you understand how much of an improvement that is?"

You had pretty much nobody to compare to, so no. Of course you had no idea that you were 'incredible'. In truth, you thought you'd barely ever become a decent ninja.

"No, what's so special about that?" You were proud to see Tobirama impressed.

"What you're doing is unbelievable. (Y/N). Even the first time, that day when I first met you, I was shaken up."

"Eheh... So I'm doing good?" You were embarrassed, to say the least, even though he inspired and supported you all these years.

"You're doing amazing. Heck, I know only a few people who were able to develop at that rate," he said as if it were something unimaginable. You must've been quite talented, then. You blushed at his compliment.

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome. Now, I'm sure you're eager to show off in front of me, so as soon as an opportunity settles, we'll go outside."

"So you didn't forget about our match?" You were amazed.

"How could I? You're my student, of course I'd be dedicated to... Oh. Wouldn't you look at that." He almost gasped when something caught his attention. You looked at the same direction he was looking, and to your disappointment, it was just Ayane, carrying some stuff and serving people. She seemed irritated for some reason... and she was staring at you. And scowling. You heard Tobirama compliment her for working so hard, saying she grew up well. "She's having a hard time serving everyone, don't you think? You must be very proud of her, she's really diligent. Reminds me of you." Tobirama's words struck you like a lightning. Haha, oops, looks like you forgot that you were supposed to help her. Haha.

You excused yourself to the confused Tobirama and jumped to help your sister. However, as you were stepping away from the chair, you felt something tug you back, and you turned around to see the corner your dress ripping apart, stuck under the leg of your chair. Wow. Just... wow.

Tobirama was watching the scene with undivided attention. He spoke up, all serious, his hand resting on his chin. "(Y/N), I think your dress just ripped," he seemed very worried.

"Gee, I didn't notice. Thank you for informing me!" You commented sarcastically and quickly added 'snowflake', earning an angry glare from Tobirama for calling him so. You stepped back to lift the chair so that you could move--but Tobirama already did that for you. You thanked him once again, ordered him to save your seat for you and rushed to aid Ayane.

When you reached her, she hissed at you, almost dropping some plates she was holding. "Go fetch anything (Y/N)! You'll talk to that Tobirama guy later," she winked, turned around and added that mom told her to go to sleep a long time ago but that she had to continue working because you were way too occupied. She told you goodbye, put the plates down and soon went to her room. You nodded and waved her, feeling all warm, and went to the kitchen to get food and beverages. Taking hold of as much as you can, you stepped out and began doing what you were supposed to do before Tobirama made you forget your priorities.

Of course, you were in a hurry. You wanted to get over with this as soon as possible then go back and catch up with the conversation you and Tobirama were having. But, woah, you had to say that the food your mom made was amazing. Both aesthetically and in taste (you had to taste at least something obviously). And the smell! It was mesmerizing. Your mom sure overdid herself when preparing the food.

How long were the Senju staying, anyway? You didn't expect them to stay overnight, since your mother didn't tell you to check and clean the guest rooms. It was a pity they couldn't stay much longer. So yeah, that meant you had to use every free moment to be with Tobirama if you wanted to have a satisfying talk, and then lead him outside to spar with him. How many people were here anyway?! It'll take ages before everybody gets their food served. And you had to do that now that the corners of your dress were ripped. You prayed nobody would notice that.

"Hey, lady, sorry but you forgot to bring me a drink! And I'm thirsty!" You heard someone say resentfully. Just perfect. Your hands were full and you couldn't tend to that man at that instant, so you ignored his request and nodded slightly so that he could at least know you heard him. Well, you couldn't possibly expect that every Senju was as fine as Tobirama and Hashirama. And once again you wished your father would hire some servants, but he was too frugal to waste money on them.

Rushing to put down what you were currently holding, some time after you heard the same man jar. "Oi, are you deaf or something?!" God, he is so annoying--

You felt a violent tug pull your arm, and as you were holding a huge plate full of meat, you lost balance and it fell out of your grasp. It was so heavy that you couldn't even try to catch it. You watched in horror as it went down, to the floor... and on your dress, on your entire dress. While you were moving away, a hand over your wide open mouth, you heard gasps already coming from all over the hall. Your cheeks flushed from both embarrassment and anger. Your dress was ruined! It was covered in sauce and grease and food. But that wasn't the biggest problem, screw the dress. Everybody way glaring at you in silence and you felt every single pair on eyes glued on your messy form. You didn't dare to look at the crowd, or at the man whose fault it was. The guy didn't even say sorry, or at least you didn't hear it. You felt awful. So you stared down at the ground. Your vision suddenly went hazy and you felt sick from the mess. This can't be happening to you, out of all people... you wanted to sink into the ground and disappear from the face of Earth. You felt as if you'd faint any moment now, your limbs went numb and you were dizzy.

Someone grabbed you from behind, preventing you from falling. You could've sworn it was your father. "(Y/N), you're very pale, breathe, please. Breathe." Well, it was Tobirama's voice. You took a deep breath after a sequence of many shallow ones, feeling grateful and instantly relieved that he was there for you. You didn't even notice him approach. He took hold of your cold hand, squeezing it firmly. "Let's go out, you look terrible. Come on. Move move." You mumbled a single 'okay' in response.

You followed his lead as he took you outside of the hall, hand in hand. You couldn't bear to lift your gaze until you left the room where he let go of you. But once you two were alone, you felt much more at ease, but still very shaken up. You didn't embarrass yourself in front of just your family, you embarrassed yourself in front of a bunch of important guests and among them, Tobirama. Good lord, if he didn't come and get you out, you'd certainly faint, making things way worse. He suggested to splash your face with water, but you refused, since you were way better after merely stepping out. Even the air seemed less suffocating. "You're better now? I saw that you were very uncomfortable..."

"Yeah... thank you... what would I possibly do without you, snowflake?"

"Probably die. And stop calling me snowflake."

"Ugh... no."

"..." he suddenly shrieked, "What the hell, your dress!" Tobirama jumped away once he accidentally touched a portion of fabric which was... yeah. Very greasy and very wet. It was stuck onto your skin and it felt really nasty. Not to mention the little chunks of meat and other types of food on the dress. You wanted to get these clothes off. ASAP.

"My dress is ruined, I know! Do you mind being quiet until I stop hyperventilating?"

"Of course I don't!" He stood still and eyed you with utter fascination. Why, you didn't know, you assumed he might be amused. You too would probably laugh if the situation was different. However, you felt completely terrible, even traumatized.

"You should go and change your clothes. And take a bath." He said, an eyebrow arching in interest. He cocked his head to the side, still watching you intently. "Do you need any help?"

"No no, I don't need any help. Thank you, but I've survived the worst part."

"But you're completely covered--"

"I do know and I do appreciate your offer but I'll pass this time." You were scared that things might go the wrong way and you certainly weren't in the mood. Tobirama probably had the best intention on his mind, but a lady can never be too careful.

"This time?" He whispered, mostly to himself, shattering your hopes that he was pure. He was smiling so slyly. What a punchable face. Correction, what a kissable face. Your eyebrow twitched, since you knew his thoughts were obviously on the wrong track. You wanted to kick him real bad, but you figured that, since you were in a dress, it might rip it further and show things that shouldn't be shown.

"Every time, Tobirama, if you continue messing around," you huffed, making it clear that you heard him.

"Okay... but seriously, if you need anything, tell me. Anyway, goodbye for now, you strong, independent woman," and with that he turned around and headed back to the dining hall.

"Wait!" You called after him. He turned to face you, seemingly bored.

"What is it (Y/N)?"

"I don't wanna go back to the hall... so please don't go there. Stay with me. And we did plan to spar, remember?" You felt warm, knowing that you'd get stares and unnecessary attention when you do return. Not to mention that they'll finish the meal until then, so they'll just start talking and drinking. More precisely, getting drunk. And that was exactly the time you wouldn't like to be around.

"What, you want me to go and obediently wait for you in front of the bathroom until you're done?" Tobirama asked with a very annoyed face.

"No. Wait for me in the garden, if that's fine by you."

"It... is." He acted as if he was hesitating. "What then?"

"Then..." you spat out the answer with a huge grin. "Then we immediately spar in the forest! Remember, you promised me once in a letter that we'd spar sometime. And finally I can beat you! I don't want to postpone my victory any longer."

"We... wait... you intend to beat me?" He began laughing. "You're kidding me, right?"

"No, of course I'm not." You smiled at him. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. But still, I'm warning you, I'll go easy on you."

"Whatever you want. Good. So... " you gestured him to follow as you take him to the garden.

"How do you intend to fight me? Throw flying kicks? Because that's not going to work," he said. You waved your head no and rolled your eyes.

"Have patience. You'll be surprised, I guarantee," you assured him.

"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "But I doubt you'll have a trick up your sleeve since I was the one to teach you everything." He sounded so proud.

"Oh, I'm far better than you think and I do have plenty of tricks. Just you wait."

"So you are going to throw an advanced flying kick at me," he sounded flabbergasted.

You almost laughed. "No. Wait and you'll see."

"Fine," he simply said.

Then you arrived to the entrance to the garden. You waved Tobirama goodbye and almost ran to your room to get ready. God, you had some kind of sauce on your chest that got all sticky since it was getting dry. It was so uncomfortable.

You opened the door of your room, but before stepping in, you turned around to check if Tobirama was following. He was a male, after all. Seeing that you were alone, you sighed in relief and went inside, beginning the preparations. You took a set of your older brother's worn clothes and put them in the bathroom. You finally peeled yourself free from the completely destroyed dress, thinking how useless it is now, and were ready to wash down all the filth off of you. You took a moment to scoff the once beautiful dress which looked like a pile of trash. Oh, how little it takes for things to change. Then you stripped naked.

You scrubbed your skin patiently, enjoying the feeling of cleanliness. Usually, you'd stay inside for ages, singing and daydreaming, but now it was different and you were in a hurry to get done as quickly as you can. You don't want to make Tobirama wait for too long. Sometimes you'd take a peek at the door, having an awful feeling that you're being watched, which is another reason why you wanted to get over with it as soon as you could.

Soon you were done, dry and all dressed up. Coincidentally the shirt of your brother's was (F/C), which made your mood brighten a bit. But before you stepped out, you waited a minute or so by the door to surprise Tobirama if he was still there. Then you rapidly opened it, but nobody was there. You just chuckled, realizing that your fears that Tobirama might've been spying at you were actually pretty stupid. He's a gentleman after all, he wouldn't do that. You trusted him that much.

You ran downstairs, smiling like an idiot as you felt your heartbeat quicken from anxiety, and stepped into the garden to find Tobirama sitting on a bench nearby. He was staring at the sunset and... covering his nose? You shrugged it off and greeted him. He seemed startled when he heard you, he stood up and turned away from you, his back facing you. You saw that he removed the hand he held over his nose and stared at it for a second, then he turned around and sheepishly grinned at you. "Oh, hi there!" He waved. He'd look adorable if he weren't so fishy.

"...is everything alright?" He did act weird, so you had to check.

"Absolutely!" He nodded frantically and quickly changed the topic. "Where did you intend for our match to take place?"

You decided not to dig deeper and just ignore his unusual behavior, so you told him that you wanted to go to the forest so that you two couldn't be seen by anyone and, if you were to damage the surroundings, it couldn't be spotted easily as well. He, of course, agreed to it. The two of you headed through the garden in silence, both of you staring at the dark forest in front of you. You knew he was eager to fight you, and you, well, you were more than ecstatic.

"Snowflake?" You giggled after calling him so.

"Ugh... I'm going to ignore that stupid nickname. Just stop," he crossed his arms.

"Okay, then, Tobirama? I have a question."

"Ask away."

"How are you going to fight in that...?" You pointed at his clothes. He was wearing a blue kimono, that's why you asked. And the kimono looked pretty luxurious, so you didn't want it to get ruined like your dress. He simply laughed.

"It's no problem, believe me." He took off the kimono, revealing a black body suit and a sword. You'd never guess he was carrying a sword with him all the time... "Us ninjas have to be adaptable," he told you.

"Well, it's easy for you. I mean, you're a guy."

"And don't you think it's sad that I have to be ready to fight at all times?" He said, evidently bitter. His words struck you, making you feel bad. You always wanted to rush into their world, but... Tobirama was always the one to stop you and cool your head before you'd go too far. All you could say was 'sorry'.

"No need to apologise. We keep on having these conversations, so I'm used to that," he assured you. He then stepped behind you and you felt him gently put his kimono over your shoulders, his scent enveloping you. This act made your heart skip a beat; it was so simple yet too sweet. He stepped back, once again by your side. His gaze darted to the ground, not saying a single word. You noticed that he was shy about it so you continued the conversation from before.

"...and just as usual I'd say that it'd be great if everybody was at peace," you stated afterwards, knowing exactly who you sounded alike. That statement made Tobirama sigh in exasperation.

"You sound exactly like Hashirama," he said as if he wanted to insult you. But you simply chuckled; Tobirama told you that you sounded like his brother so often that it became funny. However, you knew that, no matter how much Hashirama irritated Tobirama, he loved him dearly.

At that moment you noticed the tree you first kicked when you were little. You managed to spot it easily since it had quite a visible hole. Memories of the day you first met Tobirama quickly made you feel nostalgic. You tugged at his sleeve to look at it.

"Eheh, hey snowflake--"

"I'm not a snowflake. I told you to stop calling me that," he growled, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Okay, not okay, but whatever, fine," you huffed, seeing that you accidentally made him too agitated, "just look. You recognize that?" You pointed at the tree. His eyes widened and you notices a small smile forming on his lips, even though he tried to keep on his slightly grumpy attitude. He quickly looked away.

"Yeah. I do recognize that," he sounded a bit blunt.

"Time flies real fast, huh?"

"Yeah. Way too fast..." he sounded as if he was lost in thought. "Just a couple of years ago I was telling you the basics of the ninja world. Now... we're here... and you're vowing to beat me."

"And you know what? I am going to kick your ass."

"Your confidence is adorable, (Y/N), but don't get too sad when you lose."

Actually, your confidence was mostly false. You just wanted to put a brave face on so that you'd make yourself feel a bit better and hopefully scare Tobirama. It was working out pretty well for now.

"I won't lose. You'll see. I'm either gonna win or it's going to be a stalemate," you boasted.

"Whatever you say," Tobirama rolled his eyes and laughed. He was obviously enjoying this.

Soon you approached the forest. Once there, you asked Tobirama about the rules, since you thought it'd make sense if some existed.

"Rules?" He seemed confused. "What do you exactly mean by that?"

"Oh, you know, some limitations and stuff. Like--"

"The limitations are going to be applied only to me. I'll be using half of my strength. And if that's not enough, I'll just gradually step up to the challenge."

"Alright! So you're saying I'm allowed to cheat?" You asked him hopefully.

"Sure, cheat, whatever you want... just give me your all and don't hold back!" Tobirama's exclamation made you shiver; oh, you were ready to push yourself beyond your limits.

While you were hanging his kimono on a branch, he ran deeper into the forest and turned around, taking a fighting stance. You held your breath after you heard his question: "Shall we begin?" You nodded positively. He gave you a more than pleased smirk afterwards.

You jumped in spot, warming yourself up. You were so excited! The fight of the century is soon to begin: (Y/N) of the (C/N) clan and Tobirama of the Senju clan. You relied on your accelerating attacks and moves, which also allowed you to quickly change the direction of your hit or add the power to the intended hit. Besides you could use Lightning Style ninjutsu, and knowing that Tobirama preferably uses Water Style, things might get interesting if you don't take care. You calmed down and took a fighting stance as well. You felt your pulse pound rapidly in your ears; you loved this kind of excitement. You're not going to embarrass yourself, not today, not in front of Tobirama.

However, a moment before you responded him, you thought you heard suspicious rustles somewhere in the forest. Your alarm quickly went off; the last time you ignored such sounds you were soon caught up mid-battle. You didn't even have to ask Tobirama about it, you saw that he perked up, attentive as well. He ducked and touched the ground, then spoke to you in a relieved tone.

"(Y/N). Don't worry a bit," he told you, barely audible. You nodded and he continued. "I'm a sensor, so I'd be able to tell if there's anyone nearby. And I don't sense anything suspicious. We can begin." He gave you an assuring smile, winked and stood up.

You watched him carefully, still not feeling right. Something at the back of your mind was telling you that it's not safe, but you did your best so repress those feelings. It had to be your trauma from the past.

And in an instant, you noticed them. A pair of glowing red orbs in the shadows behind the oblivious Tobirama. Your eyes widened, your heart drumming painfully against your chest; it was the first time you saw them this clearly. You were paralyzed as you stared straight into them, the bearers of hate, the messengers of death.

The Sharingan.


	3. It was the best and the worst.

You weren't the target. You weren't important and you were painfully aware of that. Which meant only one thing.

"T-Tobirama..."

The Senju seemed uneasy after seeing you utterly terrified. A shadow of worry crossed his face and that was the last thing he did. He didn't even manage to budge when the Uchiha stepped out of the shadows. The enemy moved so rapidly that in the next moment he'd be right behind Tobirama, who hadn't realized yet what was going on... You closed your eyes, gritting your teeth. You weren't ready for this. You couldn't bear to watch whatever was to happen next. If Tobirama dies now, you will avenge him or die trying.

You heard slicing; not even a clang, but slicing. It was a clear cut. Then, a familiar voice grumbled, making you bite your lip and reopen your eyes. "I told you I was a sensor. Don't be such a scaredy-cat," Tobirama sounded very irritated as he was taking the sword out the corpse. He obviously didn't like seeing you scared; it got on his nerves as it made his protective nature anxiously work up. You figured this and did your best to regain your posture for his sake, the only leftover of your fear being your rapid pulse.

He told you that you two had to go back and warn the others; he sensed more Uchihas approaching. "Normally I'd stay and fight back, but I estimate the situation too grave to face them by myself. There is one man present among the Uchiha who I know would beat me easily, so I can't face them alone either way," he uttered quietly as he ran by your side, "and we should focus on protecting your family for now, after all."

"How many Uchiha are there?" You had to know what was the situation like.

"Too many. And in fact, they're pretty close and very well positioned, surrounding us from all sides, so that means they planned this ambush in advance. The one I killed was a mere scout."

"Wait... how didn't you sense them before?"

"I was too... occupied with other things."

"Alright. But how the hell did they find out we're here?"

"There's only one way. One of the people present at your house sold out the information about this party of ours," Tobirama's somewhat indifferent words sent a chill down your spine. There must be a traitor among his comrades and he didn't know who was it.

"Who do you think might be capable of betraying you?"

Tobirama shook his head while saying that he trusts those men all too much to even dare have a doubt in them. You thought about the rude guy who pulled your hand and demanded for a drink. Sheesh, some of them weren't the most polite, but you believed in Tobirama's judgement.

"That only leaves one of my family members as a possible suspect. But that's even less likely."

Tobirama nodded at your statement. "Of course--" stopping mid-sentence, he suddenly yelled at you to move left. Immediately upon hearing his order, you did as he said, perfectly avoiding a couple of shuriken. "Damn, they're way faster than I thought..." Tobirama jumped and turned around mid-air to face the upcoming Uchiha. "(Y/N), you stay behind me!

"Am I not supposed to go and warn the others?!" You stood still, waiting for his response. "...No. Wait for me. It's not safe," he said while running to attack an Uchiha with his sword already out and ready for battle.

No matter what Tobirama thought, you were able to defend yourself. You knew your priorities well enough and you felt as if your legs itched to move in a desperate desire to go back and inform people at your home about the Uchiha who were soon to barge in. It was too reckless to stay here; Tobirama was way too selfish in his wish to protect you. You were so close to your house anyway, you simply had to cross the garden and you'd be there. So you took one last glance at Tobirama who was fending off an Uchiha and you quickly dashed away.

"(Y/N)?! The hell?! C-Come back!" You heard him shriek in anger after you left him. Swords were still audibly clashing. But right now, you didn't care about it a single bit. You had to protect your family. That was your sole purpose in your entire life... and right now, for the first time ever, you were capable of saving them. You can't and won't let the opportunity slip away.

You were halfway through the garden when you sensed someone approach you from behind. You turned around to spot an Uchiha who was about to tackle and stab you with a kunai. You moved away, making him almost fall to the ground. He lost his balance, so you took the chance and did what you, according to Tobirama, enjoyed the most: kick that motherf*cker real hard.

You landed a perfect hit, into his chest, and to his obvious and even to your own surprise, he flew about ten meters away before finally landing. You heard him cough and groan and as you were approaching him you were thinking of how to kill him as fast as possible. Twist his neck maybe?

"W-wait!" The man yelled and lifted his hand. You stopped in your tracks. He coughed a couple of times before speaking in a hoarse voice: "You're a woman? I don't want to fight you although that hit was quite impressive, I gotta admit." He then cleared his throat. Your eyebrow twitched in irritation; he was just wasting your time with this chatter... and he thinks lowly of you just because you were female. Well, he's into a pretty nasty surprise when you grab a branch and stab it into his proud manly face. That was the perfect way to end him.

"Alright then. You wish we don't fight?" You asked sheepishly as you stepped next to him, your hand resting on a branch of a tree next to you.

"Yes, my lady, I am that honorable. My name is Uchiha Satoru," he eyed your appearance with curiosity, which made you feel a bit uncomfortable. "And you are?" He sounded way too interested.

"(C/N) (Y/N)." You said, gripping the branch, ready to break it off and pierce his face.

"Now that changes things! I am sorry to have mistaken you for a Senju. I might've actually killed you... I apologize," he sounded genuinely sorry, but his statement made you feel suspicious. You might not kill him just yet, but you kept a hand on the branch, acting as if you were leaning onto it.

"How does that change things?" you tried to sound innocent.

"Why, there's no reason for us to fight. Unless you're a double agent of some sorts and trying to keep it low? I won't tell anyone, don't worry. Your clan is quite surprising at times," he chuckled. Frozen, you realised that someone from your clan gave away the celebration time and location to the Uchiha. Someone from your family was to blame... you never felt this shocked in entire life. Cold sweat started to form on your forehead; what was going on?

"My lady? Are you alright?" Satoru asked and stood up, brushing dust off of his robes. He got a bit suspicious as well, you could tell.

"I... I just..." you could barely figure out what to say next. He activated the Sharingan and eyed you carefully, making your guts twist in qualm. You mustered all your mental strength to smile at him. "I'm just confused that you avoided that Senju who was behind us."

"Oh dear. I can't handle him all alone... I'm just a scout who dashed too far away."

Your heart was pounding unbearably. You couldn't keep the act up for too long, for you knew, he had the upper hand and could easily snap anytime he wanted. You had to be careful...

"There are plenty of Senju inside... I don't know how many of you is there... but I'm not sure you Uchiha would be able to beat them," you managed to mouth out without stuttering. You gave yourself a mental high five.

"Honestly, you're completely right. But your clan leader, the host, promised us that they'd be drunk. Right (Y/N)?"

Your clan leader... your father.

You felt as if your world was to collapse any moment now. Your idol, the one who was always there for you, the man your entire family and clan looked up to, and ultimately, your father. He was the one to organize this, so it was pretty logical that he told the Uchiha about it. But why? You refused to believe what he was saying; a hard lump formed in your throat, preventing you from speaking any further.

"My lady?" Satoru narrowed his eyes, his Sharingan staring sinisterly at your (E/C) orbs. "I do not know why, but I'm getting this strange feeling that you're hiding something." Your heart skipped a beat as you swallowed hard.

"N-no, I'm not..." your voice betrayed you when you needed it the most. Satoru smirked, pleasure evident on his face.

"You're a bad liar, aren't you (Y/N)... if that's even your real name. Doesn't matter anyway," he stepped closer, now dangerously near you. You gripped the branch once again, it being the only weapon you possessed. "What is important however is that you know my name... as you beg." Your eyes widened at his statement. He was going to do something soon. And you had to be faster than him.

"Beg for w-what?" You questioned, stalling, ready to stab him any moment now.

"Why... for mercy as I rape you."

In an instant you pushed the sharp edge of the now broken off branch so deep into his neck that it ended up piercing it from the opposite side. Blood sprayed your face, some droplets even ending in your mouth. The taste of metal engulfed your senses. You watched his face, savouring every bit of that horrified expression of his. Surprisingly, you couldn't look away. As if your eyes were glued onto the grotesque. He gripped the branch, trying to mouth out something in slowly dying fury. He didn't say anything, instead, all that came out was the sound of gurgling and more blood. You took care not to lose sight of both of his hands, because he might probably try to take you down with him. Luckily... he didn't do anything. Soon his body fell limp and you let it fall to the ground, along with the branch in his neck. You were surprised to see Tobirama standing right behind him, his sword out and ready to stab the Uchiha. He was staring at the dead body in front of him in utter amazement. He then looked at your calm, bloodied face, keeping the same impression. Only a moment later he scowled and scolded you for running away. "But... what you did was excellent," he almost smiled.

It hit you... you killed a man. And his blood was all over you. You were responsible for his death, yet, after thinking about it again, you imagined it to be... different. Killing people. You thought it'd throw you in a whirlpool of emotions, but you didn't feel anything new, only relief. You lifted your red hands and looked at them. You killed an Uchiha. Without anybody's help. It made you feel proud and happy, but soon you mentally scoffed, knowing that you shouldn't celebrate someone's death. You did save yourself, though, alongside your virginity.

"What are you waiting for?! Go inside and warn them!" Tobirama said angrily while you were trying to wipe the blood off your face. Then you realised you hadn't told him...

"Tobirama... I know who did it," your voice was tired and heavy.

"Did what?"

"Betray us."

"I've heard the conversation... I know it was your father..." Tobirama's voice softened.

"M-my father... dad... why..." you hugged yourself, further staining your clothes red. How could you ever face him again? Why would he ruin a perfect alliance with the Senju? You couldn't possibly understand. By betraying them, he betrayed you as well... he wasn't the man you once knew.

"Listen, I don't know why would he do that, but we are going to find out soon," Tobirama once again ducked and touched the ground with his finger; he seemed relieved after doing so. You watched him, fascinated by his abilities. "The rest of the Uchiha didn't approach much. These were all the scouts, I believe..." he said, sighed and took your hand. "Now we go in together. Don't you dare run away from me again," he ordered. You had no reason to object. He was the person you trusted the most... and you'd rather avoid being threatened to by some creepy Uchiha creep again.

You ran by his side into the house and dove straight into the dining hall, where an awful stench of alcohol hit you. Everybody was drunk, just as your father had planned. Most people already passed out. Tobirama and you exchanged terrified looks, both realizing that every Senju was unable to fight. You were practically... doomed. What can you do now?!

Tobirama rushed to reach his brother who was sprawled across the table. He pushed him and slapped him to wake him up, but to no avail. Suddenly, an idea popped in your mind. "Tobirama!" You yelled, attracting his attention. "Splash him with a water jutsu!" He listened and performed some hand signs, making a bathtub's worth of water land on Hashirama and break the table. You barely laughed.

The older brother shot up, breathing heavily. He looked at Tobirama, smiled at him, looked down at his wet clothes and wood splinters beneath him, then laid back on the ruined table again. Tobirama groaned and shouted into Hashirama's ear: "Wake up you idiot! We're under an ambush! Get your ass up or we're all going to get killed!" You noticed Hashirama actually moved, and stood up, although a bit unsteadily. He let out a massive burp, making Tobirama step back and yell at him again, saying that even Madara was there. Hashirama just... grinned... and sent him a kiss, giggling frantically. He then laid down and curled on the ground, falling asleep again. He was dead drunk, obviously, just like everyone else... He'd be no good in the battlefield and he was your last hope. But Tobirama continued bugging his brother.

Watching the scene before you, you couldn't help but notice that your father wasn't there. Not to mention that time was slowly running out. You had to do something, and that something was--find your father. You'll pry answers out of him, you didn't care if you had to use force. He did a terrible thing and he had to pay for it.

You went upstairs, first checking if your father was in his study room. Bingo! He was reading through some documents, an absent smile present on his face. However, as soon as you stepped in and he looked at you, he gasped and put his hand on his chest, firmly squeezing the spot. "(Y/N)! My daughter! What has happened to you?!" He noticed the blood all over you, obviously.

"T-That's not important. You tell me, what did you do?" You stomped towards him as he backed away.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his voice desperately trying to sound innocent. "Dear... my daughter... where did that--"

"--Cut it with that act! You know very well what I mean! Speak up!" You yelled at him, making him, a grown up man, shudder. He let out a shaky breath.

"I did it for you, dear..." he began opening up, much to your relief, "I only wanted to secure you a safe future."

"How? How would you do that by betraying your closest allies?"

"You shouldn't be perceiving things that way."

"Then how should I?"

"This world is rotten, (Y/N). We have to shield ourselves from it... and the only way to do so is to become the most powerful. Not in the matters of war, of course not, that would only decimate us. But by becoming the richest... We possess funds greater than any other clan ever..." He sounded so vain, so proud of his achievement.

"So you're doing this for money? The Uchiha paid you enough and suddenly you're on their side?"

"Yes, I mean... I'm doing this for you."

"How could you do this for me when you hurt the people I care about?"

"Oh? Hashirama and Tobirama? They're not important at all. You'll forget about them as soon as you start a family of your own. Then you'll care only about your children and the well-being of your clan. Just like... I do."

"Father! This isn't you! Do you even hear yourself?! You're so emotionless!" Tears began to flow down your cheeks, your hands shaking uncontrolably. You didn't recognise the man before you, no matter how hard you tried to. "You're... you're not my father..."

"But I am! (Y/N), someday you'll be grateful for all of this."

"No. No. No! I'll never be grateful! I hate you!"

"You... you're just too young to understand," your father seemed to be hurt.

"No! You're crazy! You're crazy! You want to wipe out my friends and their clan!"

"I am doing this for you and your children! The Senju don't matter!"

"How dare you say that! They do matter!"

"Why?!"

"Because I love Tobirama!"

Your father didn't respond for a moment; he was too shocked. Then he sighed, audibly irritated, and continued. "Then I guess it can't be helped. You've come to kill me, obviously?"

You swallowed and nodded, still glaring at him.

"Then I'll have to eliminate you just like I killed your brother," he stated nonchalantly, making you paralyze. He... he killed your brother? But...

"I know what you're thinking. I'll just say that he was the same like you now. You'll join him in a matter of seconds... then he can tell you everything."

He took a kunai out of seemingly nowhere then stepped towards you. You stared at him, hoping that you'd wake up from this nightmare, that this monster would stop and turn back into the parent you loved for years. But that never happened. Your father wanted to kill you and that was the reality.

You had no means to defend yourself, no weapon. What were you thinking when you came into his room, acting all high and mighty?! That you wouldn't need to defend yourself from... your father? It was your stupid subconsciousness, telling you that it was the same person you knew since birth. But it wasn't. This man was a stranger. The father you knew wouldn't do this. But he was a monster all along. And once you realized that, you felt far more ready to fight back.

Then, a wave hit your father. An entire bleeping wave. A wave that smashed him against the wall and made a hole in it. And the one who created it was stepping in through the door. Tobirama. He shot a glance at you, and you noticed the usual grumpy expression adorning his face. He then looked at your father who was knocked out, laying in the newly formed hole. He didn't keep his gaze on the old man for too long.

Suddenly, he ran towards you and trapped you in a... hug. Your eyes widened for a moment, for you were more than surprised at this act. The both of you were quiet, not saying a word. You took in Tobirama's scent mixed with sweat and a faint odor of alcohol, closing your eyes. You steadied your shaky breathing. Sleep could easily engulf you now if you weren't trying too hard to savor the moment. You heard Tobirama's chest resonate, as he spoke, saying that it's okay and that he's present. You simply hummed in response, happy that he was able to ease the situation for a bit.

But you cried, the silent tears flowing down your cheeks, onto Tobirama's clothes. This day wasn't over, this day was far from over, yet you couldn't handle it anymore. You wanted to go back to the times when your greatest trouble were your chores. Regret washed all over you, regret and sadness, because this... this is the world of the shinobi. And it came to your life uninvited.

There were so many things left to do.

You took hold of the hilt of Tobirama's sword, making him shudder, grip your hand tightly and ask what's on your mind. You told him, sorrow dripping from every word, that you had to end your father's life. Tobirama didn't answer as his cold red eyes bore into yours; he simply let go of your hand, allowing you to proceed.

You took the magnificent blade, admiring it for a moment. This was the first time he let you hold it. You turned to your father, who was still unconscious. Stepping through the puddle, you reached him and took a final look at him. His face seemed so peaceful... At least, he won't feel pain as he dies.

You put the tip of the blade onto his chest and closed your eyes. Then, with both of your sweaty hands gripping the sword, you pushed deeper. You bit your lip so hard it almost drew blood. You reached a certain point where the blade pierced through his back. It was terrible, disgusting to be able to feel it all. Now you were pulling the blade out, a process even worse than stabbing. It wrecked you to do this, but it was over and your father was no more.

Your legs gave away and you fell onto your knees, throwing the sword away from you. Tobirama rushed to reach you, and he lifted you gently, holding you bridal style, as if you were made of glass. In truth, you felt fragile like it... your condition was terrible. Your lungs slowly began to pain you from the excessive crying and straining.

"It's over, (Y/N), it's over..." he tried to assure you in a hushed tone.

"N-no, Tobirama, it isn't over," you interrupted him. "The Uchiha... are coming... and we can't fight them," you exclaimed the heavy truth, staring into his red eyes as if you were looking for a solution inside of them. They didn't show fear, not a single bit of it. Only admiration, endless admiration they held for you and your miserable state, as if he was proud that you endured up until now. "Yes, (Y/N). You are right. We can't fight them." Tobirama did say the truth, after all... it was over. You couldn't bear the fact. Your heart sank deeply, knowing that the two of you were very well aware that only minutes separated you from death. There was no solution to it, not even in Tobirama's endlessly stern gaze. He was only being strong for you and you knew that.

"So... there's nothing we can do," you said bitterly, only pointing out the obvious.

He didn't answer your statement as he jumped through the window and landed in the moonlit garden with a loud thud. He scared you a bit and you held tightly onto him, fearing that you might fall. However, he made sure you wouldn't. He slowly put you down on the grass and sat next to you, not losing sight of you. You were painfully aware of his attentive body language. He took you in, all of your flaws, every single strand of your now messy (H/C) hair, the unexplored depths of your (E/C) pools, the soft skin he had yet to touch, wet from tears. It was the last time he was seeing them and he leaned in nearer, not willing to let out a single detail. You equally observed his ever so white hair, pale, porcelain-like skin, his stern expression... and a smile, a heartfelt, almost desperate smile that formed on his lips, along with the bloodshot eyes full of unwavering strength. You cherished every part of him equally, now more than ever... you feared what would happen next, old doubt still shrouding you.

He carefully wiped the tears left on your cheeks with his thumb, a motion which seemed to last an eternity. You were no longer crying. His hand remained on your face, his fingers gently brushing against your skin. He was breathing deeply, barely parting his lips. His touch was so tender, his movements full of both hesitation and aspiration. You were one with the moment, focusing onto his face lit only by the silver moonlight.

He kissed you.

It was just like you had imagined. Gentle, yet full of longing. You felt as if your lips matched perfectly with his. He was so caring, so deeply inherent, that when you finally parted, you wanted more, much more. So did he. You quickly dove into another, much more passionate kiss, and you wrapped your arms around him, your fingers quickly digging into his spiky hair. His eyelids soon fell over his eyes, letting his other senses get the best of the moment. He smiled into the kiss, making another tear roll down your cheek. This time it was from happiness.

Once again, you had to separate for air. As both of you panted, you locked your gaze with his. You couldn't believe what you were seeing. For the first time ever you noticed tears form at the corners of his eyes. Tobirama was crying. He didn't even try to wipe them away. You giggled at him, and you finally spoke up, teasing him: "You've gotten all soft, just like your brother." He actually laughed wholeheartedly, and, initiated by your comment, he wiped the tears, looking away. Those pale cheeks were now tinted bright pink from embarrassment. He'd never showed emotion to this extent.

"I should've been softer with you earlier," he mumbled in grief, "but at least... at least we're together now." He was humbly content with the situation.

"Yes... we are together" you leaned in and hugged him tightly, pecking his lips, then you placed your head onto his chest. To your surprise, he laid back onto the ground, making you fall onto him. You laughed, but quickly calmed down; you felt his steady breathing lift his chest in equal sequences. You snuggled against him, and whispered clearly enough something that you wanted to tell him for years: you loved him. He held his breath, you felt, as he said that he loves you too. You climbed onto your hands to lift yourself so that you could kiss him once again. But as you were watching him, something else caught your sight. The corpse of the Uchiha you had killed earlier wasn't too far away. Suddenly, something clicked in your mind and you felt your heart skip a beat. You figured a way out.

You stood up to your feet, confusing Tobirama who was getting comfortable. He sat up and watched you, visibly irked. You turned to face him with a bright grin. "I have an idea!"

He gave you a 'wtf' face but agreed to listen to it.

"So you remember that this Satoru Uchiha guy who I killed assumed that I was on his side simply because I'm from (C/N)?"

"I... yes. I do remember."

"That means that other Uchihas would automatically assume the same, right?"

"I believe so. What do you plan to do?" Tobirama was already getting suspicious that you'd once again expose yourself to danger. He was right.

"You're a sensor? Can you determine the leader of the Uchiha? The strongest among them?"

His eyes widened in terror. "No, no, (Y/N), I don't like where this is going."

"We're going to die either way," you raised your voice.

He sighed and said that, yes, he knew who and where the leader was. "He's the clan leader of the Uchiha. Madara is his name."

"Okay," that didn't change the situation much. The important thing is that Tobirama knew his location. "How many sensors among the Uchiha is there?"

Tobirama got confused. "Many, but with varying mastery of the skill. Why do you ask?"

"Nevermind. Is Madara a good sensor himself?"

"Yes, he is."

You jumped in spot; this was just perfect. Tobirama's eyebrow arched in interest. He was getting more worried with every moment that passed.

"So, what I want to do is to go running up to him, crying, telling him I'm the daughter of the (C/N) clan leader, which is the truth, and that their plan is busted, that my father is... dead," your heart throbbed, "and that the Senju are ready to fight back. And that they're not drunk at all. And, uh... that they're gonna give him a difficult time? Maybe that'll make them back off? Because they're unable to ambush the Senju now?"

Tobirama stared at you, not saying anything. He didn't like the idea, evidently, because it meant that you had to escape his protection once again. Also, you knew, this might be the last time you're seeing him... you continued.

"And then Madara or any Uchiha would turn on their sensor mode, sense chakra of the Senju, but not that of my father. Which means I'm right! Right?" You were amazed by your own genius idea. This might actually work. But first, you had to hear if Tobirama had anything else to add.

"You're completely right, (Y/N)," he however agreed to your plan. He proceeded to sense Madara's location, and he pointed at the direction where you should be heading to. "He's not too far off in the forest. You'll reach him in a matter of minutes if you run without stopping," he informed you, watching you carefully.

"Don't let yourself fall into Madara's hands. And don't ever look straight into his eyes. He's cunning and might easily--"

"That's obviously not gonna happen. Don't worry. If I've endured this much up until now, this is going to be a piece of cake. Right...?" You said. Tobirama smiled and looked to the sky and the stars, enjoying your confidence.

"Alright," he muttered.

"Wait, you're not going to prevent me..?"

"There's no purpose in doing that. But... before you go... I just..." he began, then approached you and hugged you. "If this is the last time I see you, I wanted you to know that... that I loved you all this time, that you were my only purpose in life... that... I would never be able to express this... what... I feel for you... and I... I wanted to make sure that... now... that we're not..." he was at loss of words. It was difficult for him to pronounce that what he wanted, as if he was pulling out each word with great effort. He would soon burst out in tears and you couldn't bear watching him like that. With this on your mind, you kissed him again, silencing him. Actions always show more than words.

"I know, Tobirama. I know it all. You needn't say it," you whispered after your lips parted. You gently fondled his cheek, further assuring him. He forced a smile on his smile, his lips twirling upwards in agony. Tears were flowing down his cheeks, but he did his best to appear happy for you.

"Go now, time is running out... and come back. You must come back," Tobirama insisted, his voice firmer than ever. You heeded his wish, and, after taking one final look at him, you took off into the night.

You didn't feel any fear. Your nerves have been drained long ago. The goal you had was simple; you had to let out all of your emotions in front of Madara to appear more genuine in your sorrow. As you ran, you devised the speech you'd present yourself with in front of him. You, in fact, had a feeling you were safe. You knew that all Tobirama's thoughts and wishes were directed to you and all of his hope had only one aim: your well-being. You swore you won't let him down.

You had to be focused only on Madara and the death you witnessed. You can't think just about Tobirama, it'll only make you uneasy. Then a thought crossed your mind; what is going to happen with Ayane, Eisuke and your mother, who were all asleep? No, you prevented yourself from even assuming further. You had to succeed. There was no other option.

You entered the forest. Now it was only a matter of time until you spot him... or, more probably, until he spots you. Dread filled your body as you continued running through the darkness. What if they kill you before you even get the chance to speak?

Just as you were thinkimg about that, something heavy fell onto your back; an entire body landed on you, making you fall onto the ground. The same person quickly restrained you. Your face was on the ground as someone pushed your head down, telling you to remain quiet. They were here and they found you.

"Lord Madara, what do we do with her?" The person above you spoke. From the shadows, the Uchiha you assumed was Madara appeared, his Sharingan activated. He was holding a large fan-like weapon you recognised as a gunbai. "Let her speak," he demanded with his dark voice. That must be him. You gazed away, shivers going down your spine in anticipation. He was facing you and you were facing him. The show is on.

You let every emotion from that day wash over you, while the desire to survive dominated.

"M-my lord, t-thank goodness!" You stuttered while squeezing your eyes, "I plead your humble mercy! I have v-valuable information t-that will save you!"

Madara didn't seem impressed at all, but that didn't make you waver. He told you to introduce yourself and speak of the matter.

"My n-name is (C/N) (Y/N), my father, your ally, our clan leader, h-had b-been... k-killed! B-by the Senju!" You began crying, forcing memories of the moment you killed him into your mind. It was surprising that you still had enough water in your body to create more tears.

"Was he truly? That is terrible. I am sorry for your loss, lady (Y/N)," he spoke with sympathy, "but what happened? Those bloodstains on your clothes... I assume a fight occured."

"T-that is what I came here for!" You squealed between sobs. "The Senju... they know you're here. I escaped, but--"

"How could you possibly escape them?" Madara asked. You had to think fast.

"T-they had mercy on women and children..." you began saying the first thing that popped in your mind, knowing that it was the least harmful thing you could even figure out, but you were interrupted by Madara.

"Yes, that's very likely of Hashirama. Thank you. I assume he let you escape on purpose so that you would come and warn us, avoiding the bloodshed," he sighed and lifted his hand to run it through his long, long dark hair. "Good old Hashirama. Hah. I'm not even surprised," he seemed somewhat pleased to be outsmarted. That reaction was quite... unusual.

"(Y/N), do you want to come with us?" He offered. You didn't imagine him to be like this.

"I c-can't, I can't leave my family behind..." your answer made Madara smile.

"I understand. Very well. I assume that, since you were allowed to escape, you will go back safely as well."

"But, my lord, what if she is lying?" The Uchiha, who was still restraining you, asked. You cursed him mentally. Madara rolled his eyes.

"I no longer sense the chakra of the three of our scouts, neither that of her father. Everything matches. The girl isn't lying. Let her go."

You did your best to prevent yourself from grinning as the man slowly got off of you. Every single thing seemed to work out so well..! You couldn't believe how lucky you were.

You didn't stand up, you bowed down to the ground instead. Better act obedient while you can. "Thank you for your kindest words, my lord!"

Madara just groaned in response. You didn't lift your head from the ground until he told you to do so. "Now, lady (Y/N), you may go. We shall depart as well. But remember one thing," he said as you were getting up on your feet, "our clans shall never again cooperate." With that, he disappeared into the forest, the other Uchiha following him. You heard people shouting 'retreat' from all sides, and the voices slowly went silent. It was music for your ears. You stared into the darkness in front of you, not believing what had just happened. You did it. You successfully completed the task. You... you saved everyone.

It was time for you to go back. You were grinning madly. Never have you felt such a change of emotions in a shorter period. You were ecstatic, you had a feeling as if you were running on clouds, the happiness on your face never fading. You were coming back, back to your family, to the Senju, to Tobirama. It was because of you that all of them will live.

And... funnily enough, you hadn't used a single ninja ability while doing so. It was your brains that figured it out. Well... wasn't that ironical. You trained all those years for a moment like this one, yet it was all unnecessary.

And, well, you... you couldn't even think from the sheer joy.

It seemed as if an enternity passed until you reached the house, then, everything that happened next was like lost in haze. You were met with Tobirama who was sharing the same mood as you. He hugged you so tightly, as if it were the last hug he'd ever give you, and he never stopped smiling. He kissed you all over your face, holding you tenderly just like before. But those kisses couldn't last for too long and the excitement quickly went out, being replaced with satisfaction; the both of you were too exhausted to continue, especially you. Soon you were just laying on the grass together, his arm wrapped around you, and your head resting on his chest. You listened to his heartbeat and slow breathing. Neither of you spoke, you were simply enjoying the present moment and the bliss it brought. Never had a lullaby sent you to sleep as fast as this one.

The day was finally over.

You didn't have to hurry anywhere now. You had an entire lifetime ahead of you.


End file.
